Assorting-tag.



D. H. PARCE.

. Ass'onTlNG TAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. |9116.

I Patented Mar. 6,

In venor naiv/11,0 H. PHRCE UNITED sA DONALD H. PnncE1-orfcnxx$iNn- CALIFORNIA.

Assonrmorse.

./a/ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. e, 1917.-

Application led May 29, 1916. `Serial No. 100,731. y

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DONALD H; PARCE, a

l citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented a new and useful Assorting-Tag, of which the following is av specication. v

My invention relates to tags for effecting the assorting of articles and especially articles of laundry.

An object of my, invention is vto provide a tag .which may be attached to the articles to be assorted and which in coaction with the mechanism of the assorting apparatus will accomplish lthe assorting of the articles.

Another object of the invention is to pro-V 4videatag Whlcirisiattachabieto th'e'a'rtcles to be assorted and by which they are pendently supported in the assorting mechanism.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a tag attachable tothe articlesto be as.

sorted as a means of identifying those articles, and whichv in coaction with the mechanism of the asserting apparatus will effect the assortingof the articles into lots corre.- sponding to the identification mark.

Another object of the invention'is to provide a tag4 attachable to the articles to be assorted which supports the article in the assorting apparatus and which is distributed through the by its shape.

Another object of'the invention is to provide a tag attachable to the varticles to be assorted which supports the article in the assorting apparatus and which coacts with the mechanism thereof to effect a two-stage assorting, one stage depending'on the shape of the tag and the other depending on its size. v v Y Another object of my invention is to provide a tag for use in my assorting apparatus andllaundry distributing systems, which are the subjects of my co-pending applications Serial Numbers 100,732 and 847,016

respectively. A

`The invention possessesother features of advantage, some 'of which, with the fore.-

, going, will be set forth in the following de? scription of the preferred form' Of-my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part'of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the 'showing' made fby the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form withapparatus at points determined in the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims. Q

. Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan of a partl of the assorting apparatus in which my tag is best adapted to -be used. The trackway, mechanism for -releasing the tag and other correlated parts, are shown. A

Figs. 2 and 6 inclusive 'areviewsof tvhfewye Fig. 3 is a view of the complete tag and pin, the pin and a portion vof the shank being omitted in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6.

Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive are fragmentary Vview,' sshowing the-conformation of the tops I of the first tags in each of the second, third, Y

fourthl and fifth divisions respectively, all of the first series of tags.

Figs. 11 and 12 are `fragmentary views showing the conformatiouf of the tops ofthe first and second tags in the first division of 1 the second series of tags.

Filg. 16. ig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view through the track taken in a vertical'plane and showing the tag resting in its seat on the carrier.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary sectional View through the Vtrackj'tstk'enfinavvertical piane andsnowing the tag resting upon the 'tradfk and in the carrier. I

Various modifications of my`ta may be used to betteradapt it to the di erent industries in which it will' find use, but in the present application, I shall describe the tag as I prefer to make it for use in a laundry assorting apparatus.'` l 5 In laundries the process of assortingV by c ostly. It is one ofthe objects of my invention to provlde a tag which in coaction' with hand the individual articles is a slow one,

-it is not always accurate and is apt to be .the mechanism of a suitable apparatus will i accomplish entirely automatically the assorting of these articles rapidly, accurately and at minimum cost. ,g

All articles coming into a laundry to bef 65 7 I* tags comprising the firstldivision of the first series of tags.

Q Lames? 'washed are marked in some way, usuallyI progress through the assorting mechanism,

with inkor a label. These-methods are oband in the slot 9 of the receiver 12 and slot jectionable and expensive and in no way 13 of the collector 14 during the last stage, further the work of assorting which must the head 2 of the tag is provided with a lug be accomplishedpiece by piece with hand a 16 on both sides rigidly secured to the tag. labor. In using my invention a tag v is Preferably the ends of the lugs are knobbed pinned onto each piece or groupof small or upset as shown in Fig. 13. If desired, pieces to be Washed when the bundle is re the lug may be left of cylindrical form as ceived. Preferably the ta is numbered andl shown in Fig. 14 or it may serve asa shaft only tags of the same num er or description upon which small rollers 17, Fig. 15, are

are pinned to pieces in a given lot or bundle.

- It is seen, therefore, that the tag is an identi'fying means,'taking the place lof the ink marking and attached labels, and this function of identifyin the article to which it is attached is the possessed by the tag. y

After the washing process has been completed, the tagged article or group of small articles as for instance, several handkerrst of several functions mounted.

During the middle stage of the tags progress through the machine it is supported by the contact of `the track members 21 and 22 `with the shoulders 23 which are formed on each side of the shank 3. The width of these shoulders varies in the tags of any given division as shown by Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive.

It must 'not be understood that any particular size orproportions of tags are essenchiefs together on one tag, are loaded into .tial in the practice of my invention, but l the conveyer of my assorting apparatus and' have found it convenient to make the smallare then carried out from the loading point est tag .50 maximum width, the next size and deposited at points determined by the .55, the next .60, the next .65 and the characteristics or conformation of the tag. largest .70. By arranging slots of correv The loading of the-tagged pieces into the sponding Widths between the tracks 21 and x ous liquids used in laundries.

conveyer of the apparatus is effected by slipping the tag into a slot in a carrier-on the therein. This variation in width is one of conveyer which travels at a low speed past the two means which I provide for effecting the loading point. The piece is pendently the automatic asserting of the tags and atsupported from the tag which alone is held tached articles. More-than live' widths of by the carrier. This is the second function tag may-be used if desired, but this is a performed by the tag, viz., that of supportnumber giving a convenient size, neither toc ing or carrying the piece while it' is being small nor too largeand with suficient variaconveyed from the loading pointto the point tion between the sizes to make great accuof discharge from the 'conveyen Aracy of the correlating mechanism unneces- The tags are released from the apparatus at predetermined points and these points tags is provided by the shape of the top porare fixed by the shape of the headof the tag tion of the head and I find it convenient to and by its size. A given shapeland size is 4use five different. shapes for each width of released at a certain point, each shape and tag head,'thus giving twenty-five different size of tag corresponding to a definite point tags which vary from each other in width of release. In eecting by its size and shape or shape or both width and shape. 'llhe va- -the release of the'piece from the conveyer riations in shape are preferably obtained by at a predetermined point, the tag performs notches 25 cut in one of the upper corners a third function; that of assorting the so that the shape or extent of the tag relapieces. .y tive to the horizontal andf vertical center -When the pieces-are released from the coni lines through the lug 16 is varied. For veyer at the predetermined pointseach'vlet` convenience the group of tags shown in Figs. or bundle is found to be collected together ``2` tn`6-sim-lusiveiarg referred to as tags of 22, the tags/drop through atdefinite placeswm sary. A second means of differentiating the f in a certain portion of the apparatus from the first division. Itll'bbservedrthat Y.

whence the pieces are removed and the tags while the units of this division vary in the takeny off. The pieces are then ready to be width of the head, the distances 'X andV Y bundled and shipped out. are constant for the division. I find it con- The tag comprises a flat plate or head 2, venient to make X equal to .15 and Y equal formed preferably of metal inert in the vvarito .125, but it is to be understood that tags A shank 3 may be made with proportions and dimenextends from the head, and fastening means sions other than those which I have menfor attaching the tag to the articles. to be tioned. -The tags or units of the second diassorted, such as a pin 4, is attached to the vision differ from those of the first only in shank, one side of which is turned over to the dimension X which is conveniently made provide alip 6 into' which the sharp point .05. Fig. 7 illustrates the shape of the top of the pin closes. of the first tag of the second division and the Inorder to support the tag in the jaws 7 `other four t/ags of this division vary in size of the carrier 8 during the'irst stages of its as shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, only diffourth division, .15

' vertical center line;'and in the fifth division,

`width, the tags in feringtherefrom in the size of the dimension X. The dimension Y remains the same for all tags in both divisions.

The third, fourth and qfifth divisions of tags comprise in the sarnemanner groups of five tags each, the shape of the top of the first tag in each division being shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 respectively, and the size varying in the same way as explained for the first and second divisions. The dimen-A sion Y remains Yconstant throughout, but with each division the dimension X' varies. I find it convenient in the third division to make X equal to .05 on the opposite or right side of the vertical center line; in the on the right side of the .25 on the right side of the center line. v

From the above and from inspection of Figs. 5 to 13 inclusive, whilein any given division the tags vary in that division have the same dimension X and that this dimension diHers with each division; also, that throughout the five divisions the -dimension *Y does not vary. These twenty-five tags,

shapes having the same dimension Y,

- bered from 26 to 50 can be secured by increasing the dimension Y, that is, by len thening the tag above the horizontal center ine. and running a new series of notches across the top as in Figs. 11 and 12 which show the of the tops of the first and second tags of the first division ,of thesecond series. In

l the same waysa third series of ltags numbered the dimension -Y in Fig. 2, the

from 51 to v7 5 and a fourth series numbered from 76 to 100 may be made. .0625 is a convenient amount to increase with each series' and this increase is indicated in Fig. 11 as .the dimension T.

When the tag is loaded into the carrier 8 on the conveyer chain 26 of a single series or twenty-five bundle apparatus, it stays in the carrier until it is released therefrom by a trip 27, the action or non-action of which is determined bythe extent of thenotch 25. If the notch extends nearly across the tag as l conveyer 26 carries the tag past all the trips 27V, 27IV, 27III and 27 II, but the last trip to out far enough to catch from the carrier. Each section of track is divided into assorting divisions with a-trip at the entering end of each-division. The trip 27I which is reached by the carrier last of all, is at the entering end of the first assorting division; lthat is, viewing Fig. 1, the carrier 8 travels from left to right and the first assorting division of the track is at the right as indicated on the figure, the second,

- tag then it will be clear that l constitute the first series of tags and are numbered from 1 v to 25 inclusive.v

be reached 27I extends and release the tagA .center line of the third and fourth assortingdivisions beingl broken out toreduce the length of the figure.

After its release from the carrier 8, the rides directly on the track 21--22 until the widening slot permitsit to drop through into the receiver 12 whichv allows it to slide down into the collector 14... The tags of the -first division, Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, are all released from the carrier onto the track by the trip 27I which is the last trip on the machine. The second division of tags, of which Fig. 7 shows the first tag, -is released by the trip 27II (not shown). which isv the second last trip on the machine,

le series machine) being released by trip 2 V which is thefirst one reached by the tags in their passagethrough the machine.

With a single section of track as shown in Fig. 1, only the first series of twenty-five tags is used, but I contemplate arranging my apparatus so that the purchaser may, by

the insertion into the trackway of a second section ahead of the first section and the .use of a second series of tags, increase the capacity ofthe 'apparatus to 'fifty bundles.4 In

`the same way Ia third section may be inserted ahead of the second anda fourth section ahead of the third and a third and fourth Lseries of tags added so that the capacity of the apparatus may be increased as desired.

In a multiple series apparatus, it will be understood thatthe tags having the greatest dimension Y, that is', the greatest height above the horizontal'center line, aremo'st conveniently disposed of first, the shortest;

tags being carried to the end ofthe machine farthest from the 'are tripped .out of the carrier onto the track. The tags of'the first series are the shortest; the tags of the second series are the'dimension T, Fig. first series, and therefore the trips for releasing them from the carrier are spaced higher than the trips for that the first series tags will second series trips without In the same way the third series of tags are 2T higher than the first series; and the pass under the these series are spaced g at corresponding heights so that no tag of the trip for the series of a/higher number.

It'should also be noted that all the tags of whatever division or series have the same dimension R; that is, the height ginning of the shoulder 23 to the horizontal tags.

corners so `that fabric coming in contact therewith will not be injured. From the above it will be perfectly obloading point before theybeing released. e

from'the belugs 16 is the samefor all 125' Preferably the tag is'formed with rounded 1 -viou'sthat if it is desired to do so, the'tags' 11, higher Vthan those of the' the first series, so

a series can engage 115`- fourth series .3T higher, and the trips-.fer

v Y all the tags of a given division upona cerintervals. The ybody of a vertical may be made reversible spacing the notch 25 on both sides of a vertical center linerun-` ning through the lugs as in Fig. 16, instead of spacing only from one side. ln this case the size of thetags might have to be increased' a small amount and the dili'erence in' stage one, first the tags are assorted into: di

v1s1ons by means of a .conveyer which drops tain portion of track.- There are as many portions or divisions of track as therev are divisions of tags and the tags of each division are transferred from the conveyer to ,the track at a point corresponding to that ydivision of tags and at no other point. This transfer point is determined by the shape of the tag; During the second stage the individual tagsv or units comprising each division are assorted by bein propelledalong the track which is arrange slot so that the dierent widths of tags fall through the slot at diii'erent of these discharge points means are provided for catching th falling tag and" conducting it to a collector.

A track comprising the members 21 and 22 is suitably supported abovethefioor. The track "members are spaced from each other and their inner edges are stepped so as to provide a diverging slot having the center line it-A. A conveyer chain 26 is arranged to travel at a rather slow side of the track over the meniber` 21. Carriers 8 extending across the slot A A, are attached to the conveyer chain at. suitable vided with a slot 31 suiiciently wide lto receive the body of the tag edgewise therein, the entrance to the slot being widened to facilitate the entrance4 of the tag.

At a point preferably slightly -to .the side.

center line A-A the top of the carrierv 8-is lrovided with a shallow seat 32 in which the ugs 16 ofthe tags are adapted to rest. Im-

v `'lkmediately v'beyond' this seat, the ,slot-is 'upon the track 21e-22.

widened into a channel 33 so that the tagV in,- cluding the lugs 16 ,will pass through itjwhen the tag is pushed o' of theseat 32 and'falls' Aguard plate 34 is placed so that'the opy eratorcanno't push the tag too far hackin V pushed in until it strikes the guard when it willkthen rest on the slanting the `slot 31 and at loading the tag is merely top 35.v of the car-ner jaws 7. The" first step in the automatic operation of the apparatus is the placing of thetag in theseat 32 accomplished by Larme? pre-f my tag .will ynow be explained with a divergin'g points. At each speed along oneof the carrier is pro- Wofthe second, third, fourth and fifth s1ze there is a` subdivision of the which that tag and-no larger one w1ll pass.

lane running through the*v -Hand I correspond .to .shown ill-"Figs 2, 3,4, 5

v and drops the contact of the tag shank with the slanted edge 36 of the track member 22 aided by the sloping top surface `of the-carrier.

Ifthe slant 35 is not alone sulicient to seat the tag as soon .as the guard plate 34 is passed, only altouch of the edge 36 is necessary to accomplish it. Fig. 18 shows the tag in thecarrier resting in the seat. Preferably the seat32 is so placed on the carrier that when the tag is resting therein, the shank 3 of the tag almost touches the yedge of the track 22 at the narrowest portion D of the groove in the track. Figf 19,sh`ows the tag after it has been released ;froii1'the seat 32, resting on the track 21-22 but still in theslot 31 of the carrier 8.

For convenience in reference the track is divided into a loading division,l including the spaceat one end in n serted into the carriers; a seating dlvision,

in which `the tags are all pushed back'into Vthe seat 32 in which they hang suspended v near the 'centerofthe track slot; a rejection4 division, in which tags wronglyplaced inv the carriers are released and/.dropped out of the machine; and one or me tions, acc rding tothe capacity of the machine, eac assorting section being divided into :five assorting divisions.

The-track 22 begins Aat the seating division, leaving the carriers free of access overthe entire loading division. At the rejection division the track slot is widened, as shown at C, Fig. 1, so that the largest tag will fall which the tags are in- .re/ assorting secthrough if it is ejetdfrom the carrier at this division.' The s ot for each assortingA ldivision is the same and comprises a subdivision D which is slightly wider than 'the shank 3 of the tag, but smaller than the head olf the smallest tag. E is slightl7 wider than the head ofthe smallest size tag; the subdivisions F, G, H and I are each slightly wider than the heads of tags respectively. That is, for each tag slot through At' the end of the fifth assortin division,

the .slot narrows tothe first `sub 'ivision D'A fof the fourth assortingl division. In each As will be clear from the above the conveyer The next subdivision .s

carries the tag to a certain assorting division p it uponthe track at the beginning of the division, then pushes it along until it reaches the slot's'ubdivision of corresponding size when it drops through.

` 'In order to provide for an extension of the apparatus Afrom twenty-live bundle capacity to 'fifty bundles or more, each of the track members 21 and 22 are preferably separable .betweeii`f t he rejection division and the as-v sorting `divisions .and the parts .at that point joined securely by bolts passing throughy flanges 38. The rst section which carnes' the driving sprocket 39 for the conveyer chain is always assembledon the extremeV end of the apparatus. With the lengthening of the track by the insertion of new sections it is of course necessary to lengthen the conveyer chain to correspond. Except for the.

position of the trips andthe driving sprockets inthe rst section, 'all the-track sections are the same. l

The trips 27 comprise means for releasing the tags from the carriers so that they are transferred or delivered onto the track. The trip is pivotally mounted on a plate 42 which extends outwardlyl fromv the track and is placed at such a height that it engages only the extreme upper portion of the tags of the corresponding series. The trip 27 is provided with a pin 43 extending upwardly through i the slot 44 inv theplate 42and engaging ais conveyed alon spring 45.` which tends to keep the trip in the retracted position. A notch 46 is cut'in the forward edgel ofthe trip and the trip is so placed laterally of the line of travelof ,the tags that the edge 47 on the tag (Fig. `5) engages the edge 48 of the .trip `als the tag tag strikes the'trip, the latter is'Iturnedfon its pivot 49, sweeping the tag out of thev seat out far enough to enga-ge the edge 47 of the tag,

32 and over the edgeinto the channel 33 through which it falls upon the track. '1l1e trip then snaps back into normal: position. .Since the tags of the lirst division (Figs. 2

to 6 inclusive) are notched outnearly across the. entire top, these tags will pass --by the first four trips, 27 V', 271V, 27111 and 2711,-

but'the last trip reached, 271, which`extends will unseat the tags vof the first division from the carrien The tags of the fifth division," (Fig. 10) are notched the least and these tags are tripped from the carrier yby the trip 27V which extends toward the cen-V ter line A'-A only far enough to engage thev edge 47 of that division.

Since the trips are preferably arranged to act only when the tags are placed in the carriers with the numbered face forward,

means are provided for'ejecting from the carriers' any tag wrongly placed therein. This means preferably comprises a thin plate 51 havinga slanting edge 52 secured to the track 22 at such a height that when the tags are properly placed in the carrier, they are carried past the .trip 51, which passes through the recess 53 of the tag. 1f the-tag is' placed wrongly in the carrier, the side which has no recess strikes the slanting edge 52 and is swept out of the seat 32 and falls through the track out of the machine..

Y If desired, the tags may be formed sym-l 6i metrically with respect tothe vertlcal center by the carrier. The edge 48 l of .the notch 46 1s only .suilicient to give ycer-- tain engagement with the tag and when the as shown in Fig.k ySucha tag is re;

versible and is ejected from the apparatus at the proper point, there being no need for a` rejection division or rejection means. However, if the recess 53 is used atall,`it is formed in all the tags of whatever series. 1t may be formedjdistinct from the notch 25 as in Fig. 8 but it willy b`e found convenient tomerge it :the notch'25 as shown in 79 eans are provided for receiving the tags when they drop-through the slot, and collecting them, together with the attached ar. ticles, so that they may be conveniently handled. A receiver 12 is pivotally mounted upon the tracks 'just below the dropping point in each width of track slot, and is prof 'is of such width that a tag passes edgewise easily therethrough, being supported therein vided'with a slot v9 'completelydividing the 1 bottom wall ,54 of the member Vand the slot bythe projecting lugs 16 bearing againstthe edges adjacent the slot. The bottom r' wall 54 issharplyv inclined so that. a tag.

dropping therein will slidel down the slot.

sion of slot is held so that a tag first engages itvv just before reaching the end of the previous 'slot subdivision. That portion ofthe l bottom wall .of the receiver nearest the ap- -Normally the receiver for a given subdiviproaching tag is .cut away so that the tag engages vonly the prong 55, which projects The forward travel of\ the tag` along the trackwayr swings the ,receiver backward against the-resistance of the spring56 until the receiver slot 9 lies a` plane preferably `substantially perpendicular to the center line A-A of the track-slot at-which point slot 9 where `1t is supportedby both lugs.

out-across the lc enter line of the track slot. 4-

it falls and the flanged edge 57 j jof the The edge''l" of the prong is flanged so that the tag willV not slip off of the prong when it drops-upon 1t and the shape of the lug. is

such that itl hooks over this edge. A. further influence in this vdirection is effected by the spring-pressed .return movement o vthe re ceiver, the. instant the tag is released fromv the track and the carrier.v

The receiver is secured toa bracket 58 on the track or 'frame by alpivotall connection l59 through its top wall. The slot 9 in the bottom wall ofthe receiver terminates at a point preferablyin vertical alinement with the center line of the pivot 59 so that the position of the end of the slot is not changed tains the tags within the collector.

names? materially with the swinging of the receiver. 12 as'lit nears the end of the twenty-third 65 VThe function of the receiver is to catch or' receive the tags as they are released from the track and conduct then to the collector 14 which is arranged at an angle to the horizontal below .the discharge end of the receiver. The tags sliding ,down the receiver enter the slot 13 of the collector which is also inclined to the horizontal, and slide therein to the lower end. A catch or stop 61 is provided at the lower end whichTiicupper end of the slot-13 in the collector is Q tag not properly placed'therein. If properly. placed, the carrier conveys the tag into widened out sufliciently to avoid jamming the tags as they discharge from the receiver and the bottom portion of the collector eX- tendsunder the receiver for a short distance so that a tag discharging from the receiver falls directly upon the collector. The

collectors leach preferably bear a number corresponding to the vnumber of the tags they are adapted to receive. The lcollector 14, Fig. 1, receives the second smallest tag of the first division and is therefore given the number 4 since the #4 tags are collected in it. l t

A basket of the tagged pieces to be assorted is placed convenient to the hand of the operator who sits at the side of the machine at the loading division. The pieces are taken' from the basket one at a time and the tags thereon thrust edgewise, and face forward, into the slots 31 of the slowly mov# ing carriers 8 as they pass along the loading division. The operator pushes the tags backward against the guard 34 leaving the attached -article hanging below the carrier. The guard terminates with the loading division and onA entering the seating division the tag shank is engaged bythe angularly disposed edge 36 of the track 22 which slides the tag down the sloping edge 35 until the lugs on the tag rest in theseats82. The carrier then enters the rejection-"division wherethe trip v51 ej ects from the carrier any the fth assorting division. Assume' the vtag tobe No. 4. -It will pass each ofthe trips 27V, 271V, 27m and 2711 'of :afiefiah,

lfourth, third and second asserting division respectively and will 'swing each of the receivers in those divisions as it passesby.` VSince number 4 tag belongs in thefrst'di-- visionit is caught bythe trip 27I'of that dieA vision and swept oli of its seat on the earrier, and delivered upon-the track. It still is held in the slot 31`,of the carrier, however,

.and is therefore still propelled forward, be-

ing prevented from twisting out ofy the sub'- stantially vertical plane by its en agement in the carrier slot between the jaws and the projections 62. Sliding upon the track it finally engages the prong 55 of the receiver` subdivision of the track slot which is subdivision E of the first assorting division. As it enters the twenty-fourth ,subdivision l(F) the No. 4 receiver is approxi' wardly through the slot 9 and drops into the collector r14, sliding downwardly therein into the catch 61 at the lower end of the c'ollector. A tape is then passed about the pendent bundle of pieces and tied or buckled to hold them all together; the vcatch 61 is slipped back and the bundle vdrawn out of the collector. Since they are all at one end of the bundle, the tags are easily and quickly removed from the pieces and' thrown into a numbered compartment to await further use upon a new bundle.'

In Figs. 16 and 17, I have shown a modified form of pin. In this construction the coil 65 is located just above the turn 66 at the bottom.V The advantage in this construction lies in the fact that articles secured by the'pin'hang in a vertical center line through the tag and there is no tendency to tip the tag sidewise in the track. The wire of the pin is bent on each side of the coil at 67 and 68 so that thefabrie of the marked article will not catch in the coil 65. By keeping the coilquite close to the turn 66 the resiliency of the pin is not materially affected.

I claim:

' 1. In combination with an assorting apparatus, a tag attachable to the articles to .be assorted, said tag being provided with means for supporting the tag in said apparatus.

paratus, a tag attachable to the articles to 2. In combination with an assorting apf be assorted and provided withv means for i supporting the tag in said apparatus, and means on said tag adapted to coact with sald apparatus for assorting said articles.

5. In combination with an assorting ape assorted and having identification .means arranged thereon, and-means on said tag .adapted to-coact with apparatus to asparatus, a tag attachable to the articles to a tag attachable to the articles to means for-support-A means adaptassort paratus to assort said articles.

8. In combination with an assortin apparatus, a tag attachableto the artic es' to be assorted and having identifying means thereon, said taghavin-g means adapted to coact by reason of vits size with said ap paratus' to assort said articles. l

9. In combination with an assorting apparatus, an assorting tag comprising a flat plate, means for attaching said plate to the articles to coact with said apparatus for assorting said articles.

10. In combination with an assorting apparatus, an assorting tag comprising a flat plate, means for attaching said plate to the articles to be assorted, means for identiyin plate,

'for attaching assorted, an said tag.

said plate, and means adapted to coact wit said apparatus for assorting said articles.

' 11. In combination with an assorting apparatus, an assorting tag comprising a flat means articles to be assorted, means for supporting said plate in said apparatus, means for identiying said plate and means adapted to coact with said apparatus for assorting said articles..

12.-Inv a tag a supporting lug disposed on 13. In a'tag of the class descrihed means.

for attaching thei tag to the articles to-be having. means adapted to vided with be assorted and means adapted to 1 arranged thereon.

for attaching said plate to the* of the class described, means the tag to the articles to be v assorted, and a supporting lug arranged on said tag, said lug being enlarged at its end.

14. An assorting tag of the class described comprising a notched head, means for attaching said head to the articles to be assorted, and a lug on said head for supporting said tagV and attached article.

15. In."combination with an assorting aparatus, a tag or attaching said plateto the articles to be assorted rigidly secured to said plate, and a lug having an enlarged end disposed on said plate.' i

16. In combination with an assorting apparatus, a tag comprising a flat plate prosaid apparatus to assort said articles.

paratus, vided with a notched edge, means for attaching said plate to1 the articles to be assorted, ,and means 18. In an assorting system, a tag attachable `to the articles lto be assorted comprising a head anda pin attached to said head, said pin being formed'with a resilient coil the material of the pin at both ends of said coil being turned acrossv said coil.

19. In an assorting system, a tag attachable'to the articlesto'be assorted comprisin a head and a pinhaving a ody portion containing a resilient coil and a polnted clasp portion join.- ing -said body portion in a'smooth turn.

. In testimon set my 'handat San Francisco, California, this 22d/day of`May,'1916.

' i' DONALD H. PARCE.

1' In presence ofa notchA and means for attaching said plate "to the articles to be assorted, said* notched plate being adapted to coact with Iin attached to 'said head, said comprising a at plate, means f or identifying said plate whereof, I have hereunto 

